Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak finally resigns!

Finally, and after more than seventeen days of protests, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak  surrendered…

In a move that was expected a long time, Mubarak stepped down on Friday, after it became impossible for him to ignore the Egyptian nation’s calls for him to resign and leave presidency and after defeat became absolute…

The announcement was made in a presidential statement read out by Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman.

"Taking into consideration the difficult circumstances the country is going through, President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak has decided to leave the post of president of the republic and has tasked the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to manage the state's affairs," Suleiman said.

Earlier, the 82-year-old President had flown out of Cairo to his holiday retreat at Sharm el-Sheikh on the Red Sea, his ruling party said.

CAIRO CELEBRATES VICTORY
Right after the announcement, Cairo erupted with joyful dancing, singing and cries of "God is greatest!" as its streets transformed into parade of honking horns waving flags and celebrations started across the country. Protesters celebrated in Tahrir Square, chanting "the people have brought down the regime"
  
Tahrir Square, the epicenter of the nationwide revolt, thundered with cheers as protesters waved flags and cars honked their horns.
  
Outside the presidential palace protesters shouted "God is greatest!" as they hugged one another, danced and ululated. Some fell to the ground, overcome with emotion.
  
Elsewhere in Cairo, cars honked their horns and fireworks went off as Egyptians celebrated the end of Mubarak's reign.

WAEL GHONIM: CRIMINAL HAS LEFT PALACE
Cyber-activist Wael Ghonim tweeted "congratulations to Egypt, the criminal has left the palace" in Arabic upon news on Friday that president Hosni Mubarak had stepped down.
  
"Welcome back Egypt," he added in English on his Twitter page . "The real hero is the young Egyptians in Tahrir square and the rest of Egypt."
  
Ghonim, 30, a Google regional marketing executive, emerged as a spokesman of the uprising after his release on Monday following 12 days in custody.

ELBARADEI: THIS IS THE GREATEST DAY
Main opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei, meanwhile, told Reuters this is the "greatest day" for him and Egyptians. He said that he looks forward to working with the military.

ElBaradei also noted that he sees a period of military-people co-sharing power, and that running for president is not on his mind.